Linear air diffusers



Nov. 2.1,' 1967 T. M. ONESON ETAL 3,353,473

LINEAR AIR DIFFUSERS Fil'ed June 24, 1966 2 sheets-sheet 1 ff laATTORNEYS LINEAR AIR DIFFUSERS Filed June 24, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 rINV NTOR/S 7?/0/1445 M @M50/14 //ams darm/5u, i

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,353,473 LINEAR AIR DIFFUSERS Thomas M.Oneson, Newark, Thomas W. Journell, Granville, and Clifford D. Smith,Jr., Newark, hio, assignors to Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation, acorporation of Delaware Filed June 24, 1966, Ser. No. 560,313 9 Claims.(Cl. 9S-40) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A longitudinal channeled airdiffuser with channel walls for delivery of air from a duct, whereinsaid diffuser has a plurality of vanes affixed to the inner wallsthereof which cause the air to be converted from its direction of flowthrough the duct by static regain pressure and diffused, in asubstantially uniform manner along the length of the exit slot in thediffuser, said diffuser further -has an air diverter in the exit slotthereof for diverting the air emitted toward the side of the airdiffuser.

This invention relates to the distribution of air from a duct into anadjoining room. Specifically, it pertains to the distribution of airfrom the duct along the length thereof with a means and in a manner bestsuited for such linear distribution from the duct.

With the greater use of dropped ceilings in buildings and othercommercial applications, it has been necessary to develop airdistribution systems which will readily accommodate such ceilings. Inthe past many air distribution systems have relied upon a main ductwhich feeds into a number of smaller ducts which in turn distribute theair into a multiplicity of vents or distributors either spaced along theceiling or in the walls of a room. The inflexibility of such systems hasled those skilled in the art to invent and develop systems which employthe duct, preferably the main duct, as a direct source of air connectedto the distributor or vent leading into the room. This has beenaccomplished by inserting into the bottom of the duct a linear diffuseralong the length thereof. The diffuser is of sufficient structuralintegrity to be used as a grid system for the general support of theceiling tile or boards within the dropped ceiling. This is accomplishedby suspension members which are directly afiixed to the diffuser and arein turn attached to the structural ceiling above the dropped ceiling.

The diffusers of the foregoing type have generally provided thestructural integrity necessary for such use, however, they have lackedthe simplicity of design, the lack of expense for universal use, theability to uniformly distribute the air, and the characteristicsnecessary to accurately control the distribution of air into particularareas depending upon the needs thereat. The inventors in their quest foran air diffuser which would overcome the foregoing deficiencies haveinvented the diffuser as described herein.

Linear air diffusers to date, have generally been extruded pairs ofsidewalls which are interconnected lby cross-over clips to form achannel. These have been expensive as well as inoperative in some caseswherein the clip has not functioned to provide the maintenance of thewalls in a parallel relationship.

A major drawback of the diffusers of the prior art has been that theytend to throw air downwardly along the length thereof. Diffusers areusually installed in a room of sizable proportions, and as it can beappreciated if the flow of the air from the diffuser is directed to onespecific location the other parts of the room will suffer from lack offresh air. Also the part of the room to which the air is thrown will beextremely drafty and uncomfortable to the occupants therein. Therefore,

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the optimum air distribution is along the entire length of the diffuserin a uniform manner so that all portions of the room receive aproportionate amount of air, in accordance with their needs. Theinventors have discovered that through a properly designed diffuser,they may employ the concept of static regain to distribute air uniformlyalong the length of the diffuser.

To employ the foregoing concept, the construction of the diffuser mustremove any air velocity vectors in the direction of the air movingthrough the duct, and convert them into potential energy within theduct. The potential energy is then employed as a pressure head forexpansion from the passages within the diffuser into the room adjacentthe diffuser. The invention herein employing the foregoing concept isalso cheap, efficient, easily made, and provides great flexibilitywithin a linear air distribution system.

In the past, air control means within the diffuser have been of varioussizes and configurations which did not lend themselves to providing asmooth passage and flow to the air being expelled from the diffuser. Theinventors have provided a control damper which allows a smooth uniformflow along the length thereof, and is furthermore easily adjusted forthe exact distribution requirements of the room.

The inventors have furthermore invented a unique diverting member forinsertion within the diffuser which allows a full volume of air to bediverted from the diffuser into an adjoining room in a specific lateraldirection.

vSpecifically they have determined that an L-shaped diverter which isinserted into a diffuser can be used to expel air laterally in an amountequal to that which would normally flow through a diffuser without suchdiversion. Thus, a standard air diffuser can be used to direct airlaterally in any preferred direction by the mere insertion of adifferent diverter, and still permit full vfiow of the air through thediffuser. In the past the only way to accomplish the diversion of theair from the diffuser laterally was to close off the portion of thechannel in the diffuser which would normally direct air to the sidewhere it wasnt desired, and allow the air to flow only out of thediffuser laterally in that direction which was not closed off.

From the foregoing brief description it can be seen that an object ofthis invention is to provide a linear air diffuser which will diffuseair evenly along the entire length thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide a linear air diffuserwhich is of a unitized construction.

A further object of this invention is to provide a diffuser which willadequately support the dropped ceiling in which it is placed.

Another object of this invention is to furnish an air diffuser withcontrol dampers which are simply constructed and readily adjusted.

A further object of this invention is to furnish a diffuser which can beused in an air distribution system for facile control and balance of theair fiow throughout the entire system.

A further object of this invention is to furnish a diffuser with adiverting means which will deflect the entire flow laterally to eitherside desired and generally not impede the normal flow through thediffuser.

A further object of this invention is to furnish a diffuser which can beused around the periphery of a room interchangeably with that used inthe middle of the room by means of simply changing the diverter withinthe diffuser.

The foregoing objects and the brief description of the invention willbecome more readily understood upon reading the following detaileddescription in connection with the drawings attached hereto, whereinFIGURE 1 shows a phantom elevation view of the diffuser with a hangingclip attached thereto.

FIGURE 2 shows a cross section of a diffuser with a duct attachedthereto and an acoustical board supported thereon.

FIGURE 3 shows a clip for insertion within the diffuser for the supportof the diverting member within the throat of the diffuser.

FIGURE 4 is a representation of the cross section of the diffuser withan L-shaped diverter substituted for the T-shaped diverter of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 shows a room with a portion of a suspended ceiling, with thediffuser used as a support grid, and having the air supply duct feeddirectly thereinto.

FIGURE 6 is a broken away perspective drawing showing the location ofthe integral vanes within the web of the unitized diffuser.

FIGURE 7 is a cross sectional view of a damper section shown inperspective.

FIGURE 8 is a cross sectional view of a diffuser employing the vanes ofthe invention herein but not relying upon the unitized construction.

FIGURE 9 is a showing of an L-shaped diverter inserted in a diffuser forlateral movement of the air flowing through the diffuser in thedirection of the transverse portion of the L.

Looking more closely at the drawings, it is seen that a major portion ofthe diffuser 10` is made from a single sheet of metal. The structuralwalls of the diffuser 12 are rolled out of a continuous piece of metalwhich begins in the form of a ange 14 which has been doubled over toprovide rigidity for the diffuser 10. TheI flange 14 is used to supportacoustical material 16 which may be in the form of boards or tile,thereby eliminating any necessity for separate support means for thetile. The walls 12 of the diffuser are bent inwardly at 18 to provideinwardly facing shoulders which can be used as junction and contactledges for two of the members to be described hereinafter. The walls 12continue past the shoulder and are turned over at 90 and formed intotriangularly shaped shoulders generally shown at 20. The triangularlyshaped shoulders are used for the attachment of the duct 24 by means ofthe clip generally shown at 22.

The continuous metal web between the triangularly shaped shoulders ispunched out in the form of vanes 26. This section of the diffuser withthe vanes 26 therein is shown more clearly in the perspective brokenaway view of FIGURE 6 which shows the vanes 26 punched from the metalweb, thus forming a continuous web with doWnwardly opening air passages.

It can thus be seen that the main body 10 of the entire diffuser isconstructed from a unitary piece of metal which not only providesflanges for the support of ceiling material, but also helps to supportthe entire grid system and provide downward openings or vanes withpassages therebetween for the purpose of distributing air in a uniformmanner.

The diffuser is generally hung from a structural ceiling by means of asupport clip 28 which is interposed within the triangular shoulders 20.As shown in FIGURE 5 the entire dropped ceiling can -be supported from astructural ceiling by hanging means, so that a grid is formed for notonly the supply of air into the room below, but also for the support ofthe dropped ceiling.

The diffuser 10 has inserted between the walls 12 a lattice work ofvanes 31 which are tandemly associated with the vanes 26. The latticework of vanes 31 when inserted into the wall and supported thereby tendto add to the length of the passage created by the vanes 26. The reasonfor extending the passage 30 between the vanes 26 by tandemly associatedvanes 31 is to provide a passage between them which is longer than thedistance across the top set of vanes 26 or the passage'30 createdtherebetween.

The inventors have found that air traveling through the duct 24 willtend to be thrown linearly along the length thereof to one particularportion of the room, namely that portion which is substantially towardthe end of the run along the length of the diffuser. This is because theair has a tendency to maintain its velocity vector and not turn directlyat the point of entrance into the duct. For example in FIGURE 5, the airtraveling through the duct 24 would have a tendency to be distributedfrom the point 34 of the duct rather than the point 32. So in effect thevertical distribution of the air would be such that the area near thedoor 32 would receive little or no air introduced into the duct whilethat under the point 34 would receive a substantial amount of the airtraveling through the duct 24.

In order to forego the distribution pattern as previously stated theinventors have arrived at a design for a linear diffuser which willpermit even distribution along the length of the diffuser from thebeginning of the run to the end of the run. This is accomplished byemploying the concept of static regain with respect to the air which istraveling through the duct 24. T o utilize this concept the inventorshave found that it is necessary to employ a downward passage 30 from theduct 24 through the diffuser 1t) equal to or greater than the opening ofthe passage 30 between the vanes 26. Thus the inventors have found thata one to one ratio or less between the opening of the passage 30 fromthe duct with respect to length of the passage through the vanes isnecessary to employ the theory of static regain.

Static regain simply stated is the conversion of all the velocityvectors in the direction of travel through the duct into potentialenergy or pressure head above the openings of the passages 30 createdbetween the vanes 26 and 31. In this manner all the air can do, afterbeing converted from the kinetic energy that it had with respect to thetravel through the duct into potential energy, is to travel downwardlyin a general direction of the passages 30 created between the vanes 26and 31.

It can thus be seen that air introduced into the duct 24, will beuniformly emitted downwardly therefrom regardless of the fact that theair might be introduced into the duct 24 at a high velocity along thelength thereof. This is because there are no velocity components, in thedirection of the air travel through the duct, which remain after passagethrough the vanes 26 and 31 which convert the kinetic energy of the airthrough the duct into static energy which is reconverted by staticregain after emission from the passageways created between the vanes.

A closer examination of FIGURE 2 will show a pair of splines 38, whichare affixed to the inside of the walls 12 providing a converging anddiverging passage with the attendant fluid mechanical characteristicsthereof. The splines 38 are usually of a resilient material so that uponinsertion they are held in place by their resiliency forcing the upperend of the spline against the inside of the juncture shoulder 18. Thebottom portion of the spline 40 is inserted into the crimped and foldedover portion of the flanges 14 which support the acoustical boards ortiles 16. For purposes of describing this specific embodiment thesplines 38 have a groove 42 running along their length. The grooves 42are placed within the splines 38 so that when the splines 38 areinserted within the diffuser 10 as shown in FIGURE 2, they will bedisposed in such a manner as to have the grooves 42 generally within thesame plane across from each other within the throat of the diffuser.

FIGURE 3 shows an enlargement of a clip 44 which is inserted into thegrooves 42 of the splines 38. The clip 44 is used for supporting thediverting member 48 which is generally shown as an inverted T. The clip44 has the general configuration of an inverted U with anges 46 at eachterminal point of the inverted U. The flanges 46 are for tight fittinginsertion Within the grooves 42 of the splines 38. The flanges 46 areusually diagonally cut in such a manner as to be easily twisted withinthe plane of the grooves for insertion therein. The clip 44 has tabs Sfor tightly gripping the enlarged part 52 of the upright portion of theinverted T 48. The enlarged part of the upright portion of the invertedT 52 is thereby snugly held in place by the tabs 50 frictionallyengaging the enlarged portion 52. The inverted T diverting member 48 canbe made from a single piece of metal which is bent in the generalconfiguration as shown, with an end cap 54 placed thereover. End caps 56may also be placed over the supporting fianges 14 on which theacoustical material is supported. The end caps 56 and 54 are generallyused only for purposes of decoration, but may be used to maintain thetransverse halves of the inverted T shaped diverter together and fromspreading, by the resiliency of the metal from which they are formed.The inverted T diverter member 48 has a damper 58 with an arcuate side60 disposed thereon and thereagainst, but if no control means arerequired the diverter member 48 may be used alone. However, it ispreferred to use the dampers 58 in connection with the diverter member48 so that a balance or control may be obtained Within the entire systemin which the diffuser is installed.

For accurate control of -air moving through the throat of the diffuserthe dampers 58 may be moved inwardly or outwardly across the openingcreated between the inverted T diverter 43 and the splines 38 which actas converging and diverging walls for the control of air passingtherethrough. The dampers 58 have -arcuate resilient portions 60 whichare formed integrally with the entire damper if desired. The damper 58is engaged at its terminal point 62 by being abutted against thejuncture region between the enlarged portion of the inverted T shapeddiverter 52 and the diverter clip 44. The arcuate resilient portion ofthe damper 60 rests on the inner portion of the inverted T divertingmember 48. It is positioned by the frictional engagement imparted to thedamper through the resilient pressure of the arcuate side 60 of thedamper at one end and on the other end by abutment of the terminalportion of the damper 62 at the juncture point between the clip 44 andthe enlarged portion of the inverted T shaped diverter 4S.

As shown in FIGURE 7 the damper may be made from one piece of metal, andbent with a dog leg 64 in order to provide greater resilience andholding properties to the damper when it is in place. The damper in FIG-URE 7 is also provided with detents 66 which may be used for adjustableengagement with protrusions emanating from the inside portion of theinverted T shaped diverter 68. The detents 66 when engaged with theprotrusions 68 of the inverted T shaped diverter 48 tend to provide alocking engagement of the detents in the protrusions 68 so that thedamper 58 will be precluded from any subsequent movement upon naladjustment.

With the foregoing damper arrangement, the diffuser may be readilyadjusted within the entire system and balanced with respect to theoverall air balance and pressure provided thereby. It can be appreciatedthat in a large commercial application the duct might run between andthrough a multiple number of spaces. This being the case it is desirableto account for losses in air pressure imbalances, and needs of thespecific spaces by mean of .an adjustment at each specific location toput the whole system in balance. The dampers as disclosed herein rendera smooth surface over which the air may flow out of the diffuser so thatthere are no turbulent perturbations introduced into the system once thesystem is balanced. Furthermore, the dampers of this invention permiteasy adjustment of the system in a facile manner without a multitude ofspecial tools and devices. When the dampers are out of adjustment thereis not a proper distribution of air throughout the area to beconditioned within the system. A third point to be made is that onceadjusted, the dampers remain in place, whereas many dampers of the priorart have had a tendency to swing back and forth on their pivot points.Although the damper performs a uniquely improved function, it is easilymade, from a single strip of metal, and resiliently mounted without anycomplicated assemblage means or steps.

Many times it is necessary to put a duct around the periphery of a room,or in the case of small spaces, which the duct is to supply, thediffuser is run along the juncture edge region of the ceiling and thesidewall, so that large boards may be supported therebetween. When aroom is constructed so as to have the diifusers and ducts running alongthe side there is not a sufficient lateral supply of air delivered bythe prior art diifusers, because the lateral delivery is performed byclosing off one side of the diffuser, thereby limiting the balance offlow.

In order to overcome the foregoing deficiency of diffusers placed alongthe edge region of spaces in which air is to be delivered, the inventorshave invented the following diverting member for insertion within anydiffuser. As shown in FIGURE 9 the inventors have disposed an L shapeddiverter 74 within the diffuser 10 of the current invention. The Lshaped diverter 74 is comprised of an enlarged portion, in this specificembodiment, of the upright member 70, and a transverse portion 72disposed within the throat of the diffuser 10. The transverse portion 72should be disposed within such an area of the throat as to allowdeection of the air stream travelling down that side of the L shapeddiverting member 74.

The transverse portion of the L shaped diverter 72 should be in such anarea within the throat of the diffuser that it will not create too muchof a backup pressure, and yet at the same time be in such a positionthat it can effectively deflect any air coming through the diffuser onthe side of the transverse portion 72 of the L shaped diverter 74. Asshown in FIGURE 9 the air stream (A) travelling down the side of thediverter that the transverse portion 72 is on, is angularly deflected bythe transverse portion 72 in the general direction of the arrow A. Thedeflection of the air stream A causes the air located under thetransverse section 72 to be generally aspirated in the direction of thearrow C. The air as represented by stream C is drawn by aspiration fromunder the transverse portion 72 of the L shaped diverter 74 into the airstream A and creates a corresponding negative pressure thereunder. Thus,when the air stream as represented by B on the other side of thediverting member or upright portion 70 of the L shaped diffuser passesalong side of the negative pressure created under the transverse portion72 it is drawn in to the negative pressure and generally in a lateraldirection toward the side on which the transverse portion 72 of the Lshaped diverter 74 is located.

As can readily be seen from the foregoing description of the L shapeddiverter 74, air can be moved laterally in large quantities through astandard diffuser by insertion of the L shaped diverter 74 of thisinvention. imbalances in the system through high pressures or velocitiesbeing maintained to provide air emanating from a narrow slot of thediffusers formerly used for lateral delivery is hereby obviated.

FIGURE 4 shows a modification of the above L shaped diffuser byemploying a damper of the design as disclosed herein. The damper enablescontrol of the amount of air coming out of the side on which it islocated, which in turn controls the aspiration of the air from under thetransverse portion of the L shaped diverter 74 with an attendantincrease or decrease respectively of the negative pressure thereunder.Thus, the air stream moving down the upright portion of the L shapeddiverter can be drastically directed in the lateral direction of thetransverse portion 72 of the L shaped diverter 74, or it can bedelivered closer to a vertical path of delivery depending upon how muchair is allowed to escape on the side of the transverse portion 72 of theL shaped diverter 74. The criteria for the amount of air emanating fromthe diffuser are based upon the size of the room, the balance to bemaintained within the system, the

balance of air required, and the size of the unit supplying the airtherein.

The inventors have shown a further modification in FIGURE 8, in whichare shown a pair of extrusions 78 which form the sidewalls of theforegoing invention. Such extrusions 78 can be used in lieu of theforegoing unitized construction. The extrusion 78 has supporting flangesS for purposes of supporting acoustical boards or tiles thereon and alsoinwardly sloping shoulders 82 for aixing a duct thereto. The vanes canbe metal members 84 which would serve to hold the extruded wallstogether as well as provide vanes for purposes of ernploying theaforementioned static regain theory for even distribution of air alongthe length of the air bar. Each vane S4 can be cut so as to allowinsertion of a diverter 86 as shown in the phantom embodiment thereof inFIGURE 8. The vanes can have a pair of linear plates 88 placed thereinto provide dimensional stability for the structure and prevent linearmovement of each wall 78 with respect to the other wall.

Although the foregoing specific embodiments of the invention areindicative of the best mode contemplated by the inventors for theapplication of this invention, it is to be understood that thisinvention is to be read in light of the following claims, in which wehereby claim:

1. An elongated air diffuser, for connection to a longitudinal slotwithin an air conduit to provide even distribution of air from theconduit along the length of the slot comprising:

an elongated channel with sidewalls defining a longitudinal exit openingextending between the walls along the length thereof for the emissionand even distribution of air into an adjoining room, the channel havinga Webwork connecting the walls to each other with a plurality ofopenings within the Webwork for the passage of air from an air conduittherethrough;

a plurality of vanes, each depending within the space provided betweenthe sidewalls along a portion of the edge of each opening within theWebwork and disposed at an angle to the flow of air through the airconduit so that an air passage is formed, between each vane connected tothe edge portion of each opening and that connected to the edge portionof an adjacent opening;

a latticework of vanes connected to the channel with each vane of thelatticework closely associated with the depending vanes to form apassage, the shortest distance therethrough being no less than thedistance measured arcoss the opening within the web in the direction ofair flow through the conduit, so that air flowing from the conduit intothe openings between the web will have the component of velocity in thedirection of the air ow through the conduit substantially removed andwill generally flow evenly from all the passages created between thetandemly associated vanes in a direction substantially equivalent to thedirection of the passage created between the vanes.

2. An elongated air diffuser for connection to a longitudinal slotwithin an air conduit for the even distribution of air from the conduitalong the length of the slot as described in claim 1 further comprising:

a pair of support splines, with inwardly facing grooves therein,attached to the inside of the walls;

an inverted U-shaped clip having outwardly extending flanges at theterminal points of the U, the distance between the ends of the outwardlyextending anges being equal to or greater than the distance between thegreatest depths of the grooves in the splines so that `when the flangesare each respectively disposed in the grooves the inverted U-shaped clipwill be maintained with the concave portion thereof facing the exitopening of the walled channel;

an inverted T-shaped member having an upright portion with an end ofsuflcient width to frictionally be engaged by the concavity of theinverted U-shaped clip, and of sufficient length to place the transverseportion of the inverted T in a position at the exit opening to create abifurcatcd channel for the passage of air therethrough,

3. An elongated air diffuser for connection to a longitudinal slotwithin an air conduit to provide even distribution of air from theconduit along the length of the slot as described in claim 2 furthercomprising:

a pair of elongated dampcrs with a longitudinal resilient arcuate stripin cross section atlxed to each damper with the convex side restingagainst the inner transverse portion of the T-shaped member, theresilience of the arcuate strip spring biasing the terminal edge of theelongated damper not attached thereto against the juncture region of theenlarged upper portion of the upright of the inverted T member and theU- shaped clip, so that the resilience of the arcuate strip willfrictionally engage the convex side against the inside of the transverseportion of the inverted T- shaped member for controlled positioning ofthe damper.

4. An elongated air diffuser for connection to a longitudinal slotwithin an air conduit to provide even distribution of air from theconduit along the length of the opening as described in claim 3 furthercomprising:

at least one protrusion from the unexposed transverse portion of theinverted T-shaped member on each side of the upright portion of theT-shaped member;

a plurality of detents within each arcuate strip for engagement with therespective protrusions on the unexposed transverse portion of theT-shaped member, so that the dampers affixed thereto may be adjustedwithin the space between each side of the upright portion of theT-shaped member for damping and controlling the air flowing from thespaces created between the transverse portion of the T-shaped member andthe walls respectively.

5. An elongated air diffuser for connection to a longitudinal slotwithin an air conduit for the even distribution of air from the conduitalong the length of the slot as described in claim 2 wherein; theinverted T-shaped member is substituted by an L-shaped member having anenlarged upright portion for tight fitting engagement with the invertedU-shaped clip, the transverse portion thereof extending beyond thesidewall at the narrowest point between the side walls so as to form adeflecting passage in the direction of the transverse side of theL-shaped member between the side wall and the transverse portion on oneside, and a second passage in the direction of the upright portionbetween the upright portion and the sidewall on the opposite sidethereat so that the bifurcated fiow of air formed thereby is disposed ina downward manner toward the transverse portion of the L-shaped member.

6. In a walled elongated air diffuser wherein the air is introduced intoan entrance opening along the length thereofanddihused through alongitudinal exit opening therein, into an adjoining room theimprovement which comprises:

an elongated inverted T-shaped member with the transverse portionthereof generally disposed within the exit opening so as to form abifurcated channel for the emission of air from the exit opening;

means for connecting the inverted T-shaped member to the walls of theair diffuser;

an elongated acute angle member with the inside of the acute anglethereof facing the upright of the T- shaped member and having oneresilient side of the `acute angle member generally arcuate in crosssection with the convex portion thereof flexed and resting on the innerside of the transverse portion of the inverted T-shaped member, and theterminal portion of the second side of the angle member abutting thegeneral region at the means for connecting the inverted T-shaped memberto the air diffuser walls, and held thereagainst by the resiliency ofthe arcuate side of the angle member so that the acute angle member maybe adjusted along the line of arc created by the arcuate side andresiliently maintained thereby to permit adjustable damping of airflowing through the bifurcated channel, by the second side.

7. A walled elongated air diffuser as described in claim 6 furthercomprising:

at least one protrusion projecting from the inner side of the transverseportion of the T-shaped member on each side of the upright portion;

a plurality of detents across the convex face of the acute angle memberadjacent the transverse portion of the T-shaped member for adjustableengagement with the protrusion projecting from the inner side of thetransverse portion of the inverted T-shaped member and the second sideof the acute angle member being of a cross sectional length at leastequal to the distance necessary to provide a complete closure betweenthe terminal side thereof and the apex of the angle formed between thearcuate side and the second side when the arcuate side is extendedwithin its line of arc.

8. In a walled elongated air diffuser having a throat between theentrance and exit opening of the diffuser and ya diverting member placedwithin the exit opening for the purpose of diverting the air passingthrough the diffuser from the direction of air how through the diffuser,and maintained therein by a clip spanning the inside of the walls, theimprovement which comprises:

an elongated generally L-shaped diverting member with the uprightportion disposed generally Within the direction of air flow through thediffuser and the transverse portion disposed at generally a right angleto the direction of 'air flow through the diiuser with the terminalregion of the transverse portion extending beyond the narrowest portionof the throat, so that air owing through the diffuser will impingeagainst the transverse portion and be deflected in a direction away fromthe transverse portion thus aspirating part of the atmosphere from underthe transverse portion whereby a negative pressure is created thereunderwhich will draw the air flowing on the other side of the upright portionof the L- shaped member in the direction of the transverse portion ofthe L-shaped diverting member.

9. An elongated air diffuser as described in claim 8 further comprising:

an elongated acute angle member With the inside of the acute anglefacing the upright portion of the generally L-shaped diverting memberand having a resilient convex arcuate side in spring biased contact withthe transverse portion of the generally L-shaped member so that thelongitudinal terminal edge of the second side of the acute angle memberabuts against the region where the diverting member is maintained by theclip spanning the inside of the walls of the diuser whereby theelongated acute angle member can be moved Within the arc of the arcuateside for adjustably maintaining the second side of the acute anglemember so as to control the air passing through the passage createdbetween the transverse portion of the generally L-shaped diverter andthe corresponding side wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,564,334 8/1951 Kennedy 98-402,568,044 9/1951 Wallen 98-40 3,060,833 10/1962 Pledger 98-41 3,227,0631/ 1966 Lambert 98 40 3,254,587 6/1966 Sweeney 98-40 3,276,347 10/ 1966Atkinson et al. 98-40 3,292,522 12/ 1966 Shur 98-40 ROBERT A. OLEARY,Primary Examiner. W. E. WAYNER, Assistant Examiner.

1. AN ELONGATED AIR DIFFUSER, FOR CONNECTION TO A LONGITUDINAL SLOTWITHIN AN AIR CONDUIT TO PROVIDE EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF AIR FROM THECONDUIT ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE SLOT COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED CHANNELWITH SIDEWALLS DEFINING A LONGITUDINAL EXIT OPENING EXTENDING BETWEENTHE WALLS ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF FOR THE EMISSION AND EVENDISTRIBUTION OF AIR INTO AN ADJOINING ROOM, THE CHANNEL HAVING A WEBWORKCONNECTING THE WALLS TO EACH OTHER WITH A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS WITHINTHE WEBWORK FOR THE PASSAGE OF AIR FROM AN AIR CONDUIT THERETHROUGH; APLURALITY OF VANES, EACH DEPENDING WITHIN THE SPACE PROVIDED BETWEEN THESIDEWALLS ALONG A PORTION OF THE EDGE OF EACH OPENING WITHIN THE WEBWORKAND DISPOSED AT AN ANGLE TO THE FLOW OF AIR THROUGH THE AIR CONDUIT SOTHAT AN AIR PASSAGE IS FORMED, BETWEEN EACH VANE CONNECTED TO THE EDGEPORTION OF EACH OPENING AND THAT CONNECTED TO THE EDGE PORTION OF ANADJACENT OPENING; A LATTICEWORK OF VANES CONNECTED TO THE CHANNEL WITHEACH VANE OF THE LATTICEWORK CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEPENDING VANESTO FORM A PASSAGE, THE SHORTEST DISTANCES THERETHROUGH BEING NO LESSTHAN THE DISTANCES MEASURED ACROSS THE OPENING WITHIN THE WEB IN THEDIRECTION OF AIR FLOW THROUGH THE CONDUIT, SO THAT AIR FLOWING FROM THECONDUIT INTO THE OPENINGS BETWEEN THE WEB WILL HAVE THE COMPONENT OFVELOCITY IN THE DIRECTION OF THE AIR FLOW THROUGH THE CONDUITSUBSTANTIALLY REMOVED AND WILL GENERALLY FLOW EVENLY FROM ALL THEPASSAGES CREATED BETWEEN THE TANDEMLY ASSOCIATED VANES IN A DIRECTIONSUBSTANTIALLY EQUIVALENT TO THE DIRECTION OF THE PASSAGE CREATED BETWEENTHE VANES.